Couple who soaked themselves in water to run down 16 floors in Grenfell Tower fire

Grenfell Tower disaster survivors. Couple doused themselves in water and dashed through 16 floors of fire to safety  after sobbing 999 operator said nobody could save them. Senor Macit and wife Hanife said their final goodbyes before making it down 16 floors of the burning tower block. Material must be credited “The Sun/News Syndication” unless otherwise agreed. 100% surcharge if not credited. Online rights need to be cleared separately. Strictly one time use only subject to agreement with News Syndication

A couple had to soak themselves in water and dash down 16 storeys of fire after a sobbing emergency operator told them nobody could save them from the horrific Grenfell Tower fire.

Senor Macit, 56, and his wife Hanife, 57, braved the smoke-filled staircases of the Latimer Road high rise almost three hours after the blaze was reported at around 1am last Wednesday morning.

It’s feared the death toll will rise considerably as firefighters continue their grim search of the 24-storey building in north Kensington.

Mr Macit, who works as a chauffeur, described how a tearful emergency operator told him it was unlikely firefighters would be able to reach him and his wife on the sixteenth floor.

After the couple were forced back into their property due to thick plumes of black smoke, they doused themselves in water before trying again.

Mr Macit told the Sun: ‘I thought we have to take a chance so we put extra clothes on and I poured three buckets over my wife and then myself so we were as wet as possible.’

The couple grabbed their passports and wrapped wet towels around their heads to deal with the soaring temperatures inside the hallways.

He added: ‘We managed to get down through the fire door and on to the stair well. It was pitch black and the smoke was very hot.’

Sadly, Mr Macit fears he may have stumbled upon other residents on their way down to safety.

‘When we got to the fourteenth floor I stepped on something soft that made a groaning noise but I knew there was nothing we could do for them and I told my wife to keep moving.’

After hours inside the treacherous burning building, the couple finally made it out at around 4.30am.

It’s believed the couple were two of the last to escape the fire, which is confirmed to have claimed at least 79 lives.

They were helped out of the building by firefighters and police officers who using their riot shields to protect people from failing debris.

Mr Macit and his wife Hanife spent three days in hospital following the horrific fire and have since been relocated to a hotel in London until a more permanent home is available.